I've Held You for all of Time
by Rinna Zeki-Xiphos
Summary: You were the only one who ever liked me...' he stared out at the sea. 'Even when the others deserted me, you were still there...'


a/n: Squenix gets FFVIII and all the stuff that goes with it, Vanessa Carlton gets 'Ordinary Day' and all the things that come with that.  That's why they're rich and famous and I'm sitting at my slow computer writing fanfics.  This is a songfic from Quistis's point of view, so…yeah…my Quistis is a level 14!  I'm on disc 4.  .  First part of the story is set before the game if you're wondering what's going on.  The rest you can figure out for yourself 

^-^  Anyways…that being said and done…

          I sat at my desk, grading papers.  I suppose I shouldn't complain.  Because of our new high-tech computer system, I don't have to hand-grade papers much anymore.  But I assure you, when I did, it was pretty bad.  I never realized how many students I had until I had to read every one of their papers, all of them sounding more alike as I proceeded through the endless stack.  I sneezed, reaching for a Kleenex.  I needed to take a sick day and I knew it, but I figured I'd just hold out until I had more time to be sick.  Maybe by then I'd even be better.  It wasn't like I hadn't been sick before…I could handle it.  It was just the repetitious paper-grading I wasn't so sure about.  The entire week had passed with so much monotony that it was almost enough to drive one to the brink of insanity.

_Just a day,_

_Just an ordinary day,_

_Just tryin' to get by…_

"Instructor Trepe?"

          I looked up to see a blonde head with a mischievous smile poke into my door.  I fought off a wave of exhaustion.  It wouldn't be normal if my problem student didn't randomly appear at least once a day.

"Oh, c'mon," Seifer sighed impatiently.  "You act like seeing me is worse than seeing five-thousand little kids on a candy rush."

"It normally is,"  I told him honestly.  I wasn't one to lie, even little lies to make people happy.  Yet as I looked at him, I felt something different about him.  Perhaps that's because there _was_ something different about him…as if since there was no one around, there was no reason for him to act as bad as he normally did.  There was something so unusual in his eyes…but what?

_Just a boy_

_Just an ordinary boy_

_But he was looking to the sky_

"Guess I kinda have made your life living hell," Seifer admitted casually.  Typical Seifer.  It wasn't his personality to be humble about anything, anything at all…

"Kind of," I smiled grimly, wondering what was coming next.

"Maybe I can make it up to you?" he looked over to where I sat at my desk.  "Seriously, you look tired.  You shouldn't work yourself so hard.  Even if you can't see it, there's more to life than this," he waved his hand as if pointing at the entire Garden at the word 'this'.  "C'mon, let's get outta here for awhile."

_And as he asked if I would come along_

_I started to realize_

_That everyday he finds _

_Just what he's looking for_

_Like a shooting star, he shines_

          The offer was tempting, especially because the crush I promised myself ages ago I didn't have was once again resurfacing.

"I don't know, Seifer," I shook my head.  "I have all these papers to grade and—"

"C'mon, Quisty," his sudden use of my childhood name caught my attention quickly and held it tightly.  "We don't live forever!  There's more for a person like you than this kind of life," he gestured to my desk full of papers.

_He said, 'Take my hand_

_Live while you can_

_Don't you see your dreams right in the palm of your hand?'_

          We walked out the door and down to the beach.  The sun was setting, painting the pale blue sky with streaks of maroon, orange, and violet.  The sky reflected on the ocean.  Everything was so tranquil…I was unaware places like this still even existed.

"See why I said you needed a break?"

          I nodded, not really minding admitting defeat.  He was right, in this case at least.

"I think you have what it takes to go far in life.  Quit livin' in other people's shadows, Quisty.  You can shine on your own."

          It was as if he knew exactly what I needed to hear.

_And as he spoke, he spoke ordinary words_

_Although they did not fee_

_For I felt what I had not felt before_

_You'd swear those words could heal_

He stepped closer to me, but I found myself edging away.  It wasn't that I wanted to…in fact, I found his presence comforting somehow---it was just…my job…

          Seifer caught onto this quickly.  I always knew he had the ability to be a really talented student, if he's just apply his skill to his schoolwork instead of plots to make my life miserable, or Squall's, or Zell's…or anyone's, for that matter…

"*#&$, Quistis," he scowled.  "Quit acting like you're some thirty year old teacher and I'm just in second grade.  We're the same age!  And I don't want you as a teacher…don't' you remember anything?!"

_And as I looked up into those eyes_

_His vision borrows mine…_

"The orphanage…" I trailed off.

"You were the only one who liked me," he stared out at the sea.  "Even when the others deserted me, you were still there…"

_And I know he's no stranger_

_For I feel I've held him for all of time_

"Would it be any different if you weren't an instructor?"  he looked to me.

_He said, 'Take my hand_

_Live while you can_

_Don't you see your dreams right in the palm of your hand,_

_In the palm of your hand?'___

"You'd like it better as a SeeD," he added on.  "There's an entire world out there waiting, Quisty…"

_Please come with me_

_See what I see_

_Touch the stars for_

_Time will not flee_

_Time will not flee_

_Can you see?_

          A loud ringing awoke me from slumber.  Of course it had all been a dream…I was a SeeD, and Seifer had dropped out of Garden after the Ultemecia incident.  I thought about the boy I'd somehow fallen for a lot, but that didn't make him appear.  Time to get back to life.

          Heavens, that dream seemed so real…

_Just a dream_

_Just an ordinary dream_

_As I wake in bed_

_And the boy, that boy, that ordinary boy…___

_Or was it all in my head?_

_Did he ask if I would come along?_

_It all seemed so real…_

I walked over to the door.  Maybe I'd talk Selphie and Rinoa into going with me to Balamb to go shopping or something.  I had to get my mind off that dream, off Seifer…I opened the door, ready to begin another peaceful but monotonous day, but… 

_But as I looked to the door,_

_I saw that boy standing there with a deal_

"Are you really gonna spend your whole life like this?" he asked me, lifting an eyebrow.  "C'mon.  You're above that."

_He said, 'Take my hand_

_Live while you can_

_Don't you see your dreams right in the palm of your hand,_

_In the palm of your hand…in the palm of your hand.._

          I took his hand and followed him.  Apparently the fight with Ultemecia gave him a new perspective on life…which isn't to say I minded, because I definitely didn't.

          And somehow, this felt so natural…I wouldn't mind having Seifer as a part of my typical day.

          I wouldn't mind at all.

_Just a day_

_Just an ordinary day_

_Just tryin' to get by_

_Just a boy _

_Just an ordinary boy_

_But he was looking to the sky._

_~//~_

a/n: A little out of character, yes?  But it's okay in the beginning because it was just a dream, right?  Feh.  Don't look at me.  Blame my muses.

Hope that was okay by you all!!  Love and peace, ~Xifa~


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